Travel Guides

Pinacoteca di Brera

Housing one of Italy's finest collections of medieval and
Renaissance art, the 17th-century Pinacoteca di Brera is by far the
best collection of northern Italian paintings. Many of the
masterpieces here were secured by Napoleon, who used the Palazzo as
a storeroom for all the art he confiscated from public and private
holdings. An imposing bronze sculpture in his likeness greets
visitors as they enter the courtyard. Three of Italy's great
masterpieces can be found here, namely Andrea Mantegna's Dead
Christ, Raphael's Betrothal of the Virgin, and Piero
della Francesca's Madonna with Saints (the Montefeltro
Altarpiece). The collection also includes notable works by
Caravaggio. One of Milan's most popular tourist attractions, the
Pinacoteca di Brera houses mostly religious art and will impress
even the uninitiated with its vast collection and the stunning
building, which is an attraction in its own right. The paintings
and sculptures are well arranged and, unlike some galleries in
Italy, there is a decent audio guide in English to supplement the
information mounted for each painting, the majority of which are in
Italian. There is a student cafe off from the main courtyard where
visitors can get refreshments.